


Full Hearts and Sunburned Shoulders

by wingsofanillyrian



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: F/M, M/M, big ol happy family, everyone is happy and good, fluffy goodness, gansey is his usual dad self
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-29 21:01:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19838440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsofanillyrian/pseuds/wingsofanillyrian
Summary: Just some light fluffy goodness to lift my heart after rereading TRK. Enjoy!





	Full Hearts and Sunburned Shoulders

“What do you mean you’ve never been to the beach?”

Blue Sargent lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Never really had any interest in going, I guess.”

“But it’s right there,” Gansey insisted. “Even Adam’s been there.”

“Ouch,” the aforementioned said plainly, raising a sandy brow. Months ago, Gansey’s unintended reminder of Adam’s trailerpark origins would have cut deep. Adam had long since learned that Gansey didn’t mean for his words to hurt, and amazingly, they no longer did.

Gansey shook his head. “Well gang, I know what we’re gonna do today.”

“I’m not going if you continue to call this-” Ronan gestured between the four gathered bodies- “a gang.”

“I second that,” Blue said, causing Gansey to shoot her a pleading look. She shrugged again to say he’s right. 

There was a time when Adam would have been jealous of that effortless communication. A time when he would have wondered if he would ever experience that kind of connection with another human being. He’d had that with Cabeswater, when he made a bargain to be its hands and eyes. But now that it was gone, he’d found Ronan. Their connection wasn’t that of Blue and Gansey, but it ran just as deep, threading their fates together as far as the eye could see.

“Virginia Beach is only an hour or so away,” Adam said, coming to Gansey’s rescue. “And there’s a pretty nice state park there too, I think.”  
Gansey wagged a finger at him, face lighting up as he latched on to the idea. “Yes, First Landing, I think it’s called. There’s hiking trails and a beach, so everyone will be happy.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ronan grumbled. They all knew he was opposed to the idea on principle. Three sets of eyes followed him as Ronan stalked away to wretch open the passenger door of the Pig. He stared blankly at the others, still gathered on Monmouth’s stairs.

“Well? Sun won’t be out forever. Better get moving.”

**********

Because Blue had convinced Gansey to hike to the beach (parking in the lot directly across from it was cheating, she had claimed, insisting that wading in the ocean would feel much more satisfying if they had to do some sort of physical work to get there), the Camaro was deposited in a cozy lot in the interior of the park. Ronan, much to their dismay, had been right; the sun had hidden itself behind thick white clouds sometime along their journey to the city.

Blue was the first one out, closing her eyes and breathing in a lungful of fresh forest air. “Yep, good day for a hike.”

“And the beach,” Gansey added, retrieving a tube of sunscreen from the glovebox. He spread it on his face, leaving the bit on his nose unrubbed in. The whole look - white cream on his nose, comfortable yet functional shoes, casual button down shirt, extremely un-Ganseylike cargo shorts - screamed DAD.

Gansey held the tube out. “Anyone else?”

“I don’t burn, it’s the tree-people genes in me,” said Blue at the same time Adam said, “My tan makes me unburnable,” and Ronan said, “It’s overcast, shithead.” Gansey insisted that none of these reasons meant that they were immune to the weather’s mood  
swings and the sun could reappear at any time. Knowing she was stuck with him for the afternoon and it was either listen to him ramble about the possibility of sun damage or put on the dumb sunscreen, Blue finally caved and spread a light layer over her face.

Gansey regarded Adam and Ronan with the sternness of a public school librarian who took his job far too seriously. “Don’t come crying to me when the sun betrays your trust.”

The foursome split into two twos and went their separate ways by wordless agreement. Gansey and Blue to the map posted at the trailhead to puzzle out which would take them to the beach, and Ronan and Adam, the latter of which followed the former as he disregarded the marked path in favor of tromping straight into the underbrush. That was fine with Adam; he did not particularly care where they went as long as he could continue to imagine tracing his fingers over the feathery lines of Ronan’s tattoo, peeking tantalizingly over Ronan’s shoulder.

**********

By midafternoon, the sun beat relentlessly on the back of Adam’s sweat slick neck. Insects had come alive around them, roused by the arrival of hot, sticky summer air. He slapped away a mosquito, cringing at the sting of his skin. He had no doubt that his neck and shoulders were redder than a tomato. “Overcast, huh? Seems pretty sunny for overcast.”

“Shut up,” Ronan snapped from ahead of him, which meant Adam was right. Just when Adam thought the forest would never end, like Cabeswater breathed back to life, twisting time in on itself, they were spat out into a familiar clearing.

The shockingly orange Camaro was a welcome sight as the two stumbled into the parking lot. Or rather, as Adam stumbled and Ronan sauntered. Ronan had the advantage of wearing sturdy black boots, while the laces of Adam’s tennis shoes kept catching on thorns and underbrush. Blue and Gansey had made it back first and were situated comfortably on the trunk of the car. Blue swung her legs idly and waved them over.

“Look a little red there Parrish,” Gansey said, not bothering to hide his smirk. “Did you sprint back here or what?”

Ronan replied before Adam opened his mouth, “Don’t even.”

Blue stifled a laugh and slid off the trunk, her shoes squelching audibly as she made her way around the car. Though he longed for the small relief that the air conditioner within would bring, he also knew leather seats and sweaty sunburned shoulders did not mix well.

Both Ronan and Adam lingered outside as the other two slipped off their wet and sandy shoes and threw them inside the meager trunk. “I take it the beach was fun?” Adam asked.

“Loads,” Blue agreed, complying with his stall tactic. “The sun was nice and warm, and the ocean was nice and cool. Must have been cooler in the woods though, what with it being overcast and all.”

Ronan scowled, which meant Blue was right. Adam opened the door for Blue, insisting she slide in first. Gansey deposited himself in the driver’s seat (because really, where else would he go) and coaxed the Pig to life. Leaning over the center, he peered at Ronan through the open window. “You coming or what?”

Ronan huffed and got in the passenger seat (because really, where else would he go) and carefully avoided brushing his shoulders against the sun-warmed leather seat. Sighing, Adam braced himself for the sting but still winced when his skin touched the seat. He braced his elbows on his knees to keep his back from making contact again.

“Sit back and relax,” Gansey said smugly, exchanging a pleased look with Blue in the rearview as he backed out of the space. “It’s a long drive back to Henrietta.”

“Fuck off,” Ronan said, hissing through his teeth as he let his reddened shoulders relax. His fair Celtic skin had burned more deeply than Adam’s already tan self had. 

“Maybe next time,” Blue said, “you should listen to your dad.”


End file.
